📩 27/09/2023 15:11
Cibali Police Station and Cebe Ali Bey Tomb, which were opened as a museum after the 2-year restoration work carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Istanbul Governorship Investment Monitoring and Coordination Directorate, are waiting for their visitors in Fatih.
With the theater play starring Nejat Uygur and Zihni Göktay, two of the iconic names of Turkish theatre; Many nostalgic objects, documents, materials and weapons belonging to the Turkish Police are also exhibited in the historical building, which also inspired the movie starring Cüneyt Arkın. Marmara University Fine Arts Education Department Lecturer Yıldız Yılmaz Kaçar, who served as art consultant in the restoration of the museum, said, “The restoration, which started in 2021, lasted about 2 years. The museum contains our very valuable inventories, weapons and photographs, some of which are photographs taken of Istanbul police stations during the reign of Abdulhamid II and rare artifacts. We thought that this museum was a huge deficiency in Istanbul, and we think that we have completed this deficiency. We also believe that it will be a good tool that unites the police and the public.” he said. The museum, which also includes the Police station; It can be visited free of charge every weekday between 09.00-17.00.
Cibali Police Station Museum and Cebe Ali Bey Tomb in Fatih were opened to visitors after a 2-year restoration work carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Istanbul Governorship Investment Monitoring and Coordination Directorate. At the entrance of the 3-storey museum building, where various documents, materials, weapons and photographs related to the history of the Turkish Police are exhibited, is the tomb of Cebe Ali Bey, one of the officers of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet period, who is known to have given his name to the neighborhood, and on the outside, there is the 'Anadol' monument used by the Police force, especially in the 70s. ' brand Police car is also included. The museum, which inspired the theater play written by Muammer Karaca and starring Nejat Uygur and Zihni Göktay, two of the iconic names of Turkish Theatre, and the movie starring Cüneyt Arkın, can be visited free of charge every weekday between 09.00 and 17.00. Strengthening works against earthquake risk were also carried out in the building, a part of which is adjacent to the original walls of the Cibali Gate. There is also a Police station in the museum. Marmara University Fine Arts Education Department Lecturer Yıldız Yılmaz Kaçar, who served as art consultant during the restoration process, gave information about the museum and the restoration process.
“Made Official in 2021; “The Restoration Took 2 Years”
Yıldız Yılmaz Kaçar said, “The history of the police station in Istanbul dates back to the period of Mahmud II. At that time, these police station buildings were built to ensure the security of the first Muslims and non-Muslims in the Ottoman Empire. A group of police stations were built at the city gates. Cibali Police Station is one of them. It started to be used as a police station in the 1800s, when the Police Department was established. It served as a police station in Cibali for many years and was unfortunately abandoned to its fate for a while. Later, the Police Department started the project of turning Cibali Police Station into a museum in order to exhibit the historical artifacts and documents in its possession and to fulfill the need for a museum in Istanbul. We also took part in this project as art consultants. The project was made official in 2021; The restoration began and took about 2 years. Because many things inside were reassembled, arranged and revised again, and after 2 years, it became open.” he said.
“It Contains Our Very Valuable Inventories, Weapons and Photographs”
Kaçar said, “One of the most important details for me is that as soon as they enter, they will encounter the city walls. We left those walls open, we only put a construction material, they will see the castle walls.
There is also the tomb of Cebe Ali Bey inside. Cebe Ali Bey is a valuable personality of this place, he passed through this gate with Fatih Sultan Mehmet and provided significant support. Interestingly, the first thing that catches your eye inside the police station is the tomb of Cebe Ali Bey. We have a Police station downstairs, it was established to continue both the museum and the police station structure. We have a room on the upper floor, which contains our valuable inventories, weapons and photographs. Some of these photographs are from World War II. Within the scope of photographs taken of Istanbul police stations during the reign of Abdulhamid and rare artifacts. There are pleasant surprises on the top floor, we made a wax statue of Nejat Uygur and a small animation of that theater. A video clip from the game is also shown. Apart from this, we have a virtual reality video on the top floor, a small Ottoman scene was animated in front of the police station. People can see this scene by scanning the QR code with their phones and tablets. We have a relief, in which there are visuals of 3 different famous police stations in Istanbul. We also have a kiosk downstairs, where information about Cibali Police Station, Istanbul Police Stations and Police history can be learned.” said.
“We thought this museum was missing in Istanbul, we completed it”
Kaçar said, “We thought that this museum was a huge deficiency in Istanbul, and we think that we completed this deficiency very well. "We also believe that it will be an intermediary that unites the police and the public and completes the missing points." he said.